Gunman chase drama

Published 19 Aug 2010 09:30

By Ewan McInnes

A POLICE search for a suspected gun-carrying car ended dramatically in a quiet Barrhead street.

An armed response unit and police helicopter were deployed to track down a suspected gunman in Barrhead town centre.

After receiving reports that a man was spotted with a gun in a car headed for the town, police called in armed officers and a force chopper, pictured below, to help trace the motor in their bid to apprehend the driver and its passengers.

Alarmed police began their half-hour search at 1.30pm which came to a dramatic ending in Shanks Avenue, above.

As the car headed for Barrhead, the helicopter pilot and its navigator managed to spot the car thought to be containing a gun.

Armed officers on the ground were informed of where the car was heading and after a detailed search of the area the police managed to catch up with the vehicle in Barrhead town centre.

The car carrying the alleged gunman drove through several streets in the town before coming to a dead-end at Shanks Avenue, just yards from shoppers on Barrhead’s Main Street.

After closing the road, the armed response unit cornered the vehicle and three men, one of which was a teenager, were ordered out of the vehicle.

All three men and the car were searched during the incident last Wednesday afternoon.

The men aged 17, 39 and 47 were taken away in police vehicles for questioning.

It can been revealed that the three men were all interviewed and assisted with enquiries but were later released without charge.

Police confirmed that no guns were recovered from the men or within the vehicle which had been tailed for five miles all the way from Causeyside Street, in Paisley.

A police spokeswoman said: “Police attended the call of someone allegedly in possession of a firearm.

“The police has to follow up any calls they receive but in this case no crime was established.”

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This article appeared in Barrhead News 18 Aug 10

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